This is a PLACEHOLDER for research material on the Gowanus “let there be light” era of Manufactured Gas Plants. It is still missing our archive of Sanborn Maps for individual plants. These steam punk wonders were huge living lungs of steel, slowly inhaling and exhaling gas made from the “cracking” of coal. The gas illuminated local homes and street lights and revolutionized social activities. It allowed for everything from late night reading of catechisms, and also, as 92 year old Mrs C. of Sackett Street put it: “Sailors and hookers, sonny ! – this neighborhood was nothing but sailors and hookers – the light allowed the boys to pick out the pretty ones” The Coal Gas industry was extremely polluting, and the 2011 Superfund process aims to clean up the coal tar these MGP plants left behind. Proteus and National Grid are exploring ways of making this part of our Industrial Heritage more accessible to the public.
